Guides: Classical Studies: Online Resources

Website checklist

When evaluating websites use the following checklist to assess the reliability of the information:

Is the site Authoritative?

(Who is the author and what authority do they possess?)

Is the site Accurate?

(Are any claims supported by reliable evidence?)

Is the site Impartial?

(Is the information biased?)

Is the site Current?

(Is the information up-to-date?)

Who are the Audience?

(Who is the site aimed at?)

Is the site Reliable?

(Are links from the site working and pointing to other reliable sites?)

Classical Studies Online Resources

Jacoby Online

Jacoby Online a collection of ancient Greek historic texts that were lost, except for fragments (citations, extracts and summaries) found in other sources. Most of these fragments are attributed to a particular author and/or work in the source text, but some remain anonymous and can only be categorized by their subject matter. Consequently most entries in Jacoby Online focus on a lost author, but some entries contain anonymous fragments on a particular era or region, or even a single fragmentary text from a papyrus or manuscript
New Pauly Online

Brill's New Pauly is the English edition of the authoritative Der Neue Pauly, published by Verlag J.B. Metzler since 1996. Many entries are elucidated with maps and illustrations and the English edition will include updated bibliographic references.

But wait, there's more!

The following databases are available on the open web--you will not find them via the library catalogue. They have been recommended by lecturers as containing useful material for your studies.

Attic Inscriptions Online
This database contains English translations of a wide range of ancient Greek inscriptions.
British Museum Research Publications
This series aims to make research and information about the collections of British Museum, one of the world's premier archaeology collections, widely available. If you are working on Classical or Late Antique art and archaeology, this series is worth exploring. Six to eight volumes have been published annually since 1978; some are freely available online.
Census of Antique Works of Art and Architecture
The Census database connects antique monuments known during the Renaissance (1400–1600) with the Renaissance media which represent these monuments. The project is primarily focused on recording which ancient monuments were demonstrably known, and in what state of preservation, in the fifteenth and sixteenth centuries.
Classics Resources
A list of useful resources for the study of the Classical world, organised by broad topics such as literary and historical texts, numismatics, maps, etc
Coinage of the Roman Republic Online
An online resource that helps users identify different types of coins from the Roman Republic. A search function and a variety of maps are included.
De Imperatoribus Romanis: An Online Encyclopedia of Roman Rulers and Their Families
An online encyclopedia about Roman emperors with links to other useful resources for the study of the Roman world.
Digital Augustan Rome
This is an online map with commentary which allows you to explore Rome around 14 CE
LacusCurtius: Into the Roman World
Extensive photographs of Roman towns and monuments, Greek and Latin primary sources in translation, and useful secondary works.
Manar Al-Athar: Images for the Study of the Middle East
This provides high resolution, searchable images for teaching, research, and publication. These images of archaeological sites, buildings and art, cover the areas of the former Roman empire which later came under Islamic rule, such as Syro-Palestine/the Levant, Egypt and North Africa, as well as some bordering regions, such as Georgia and Armenia. The chronological range is from Alexander the Great (i.e., from about 300 BC) through the Islamic period.
Orbis: the Stanford Geospatial Model of the Roman World
Interactive map of communication and travel in the Roman World.
Perseus Digital Library
Perseus Digital Library contains primary and secondary sources for the study of Greco-Roman history, language and culture.
The Portable Antiquities Scheme
The Portable Antiquities Scheme is run by the British Museum and Amgueddfa Cymru - National Museum Wales to encourage the recording of archaeological objects found by members of the public in England and Wales.
Roman Inscriptions of Britain
This website hosts Volume One of The Roman Inscriptions of Britain, R.G. Collingwood's and R.P. Wright's magisterial edition of 2,401 monumental inscriptions from Britain found prior to 1955. It also incorporates all Addenda and Corrigenda published in the 1995 reprint of RIB (edited by R.S.O. Tomlin) and the annual survey of inscriptions published in Britannia since.
Roman Law Resources
A collection of resources for study, teaching and research in Roman law. Includes a section on decoding the abbreviations commonly used in scholarly writings about Roman law.
Roman Provincial Coinage Online
Roman Provincial Coinage presents an authoritative account of the coins minted in the provinces of the empire and shows how they can be regarded as an integral part of the coinage minted under the Roman emperors.
Searchable Greek Inscriptions
A catalogue of Greek inscriptions organised by region
Textkit
Over 180 freely available Greek and Latin textbooks, grammars, and readers.
Thesaurus linguae Latinae (TLL)
An open-access dictionary compiled from an extensive array of Latin texts dating from the origins of the language to the seventh century.

Book Reviews

Reviews of books and other resources are a great way to find out about new resources and publications in classical studies.

Bryn Mawr Classical Review
Provides reviews of books in classical and late antique studies (including history, literature, art and archaeology).
Reviews in History
Provides reviews of books and digital resources in all areas of history.

Library Hub Discover and WorldCat

Before visiting another library, it's always a good idea to check their catalogue to make sure the material you want to see is available. You can generally find a library's catalogue with a quick internet search. If you are planning to visit multiple external libraries or aren't quite sure where to go, merged library catalogues like Library Hub Discover and WorldCat can help you plan your research.

Library Hub Discover

Jisc Library Hub Discover exposes rare and unique research material by bringing together the catalogues of major UK and Irish libraries. In a single search you can discover the holdings of the UK’s National Libraries (including the British Library), many university libraries, and specialist research libraries.

WorldCat
WorldCat is an international library catalogue. It is useful for looking for material on particular subjects and finding out in what libraries they are held. This makes it a very useful tool when you are planning a visit to another library.

Search Google Scholar

Google Scholar can be a useful place to look for academic resources for your assignments. To get the most out of it we recommend using it in tandem with library databases, and evaluating any sources that you find before using them.